Obituary for Rose Anne Catania (Sparacia)
Rose Anne Catania, 92, died peacefully in Stamford on Monday April 29th. Her family and friends will miss her deeply, but are also glad that her struggle is over and she is at peace.
Born Rose Sparacia at home in Brooklyn, NY to Sicilian immigrant parents, Rose Anne studied hard, had perfect attendance, graduated from Bushwick High School at age 15, from Hunter College at 19, and briefly studied engineering at Cooper Union as the only woman admitted into her class. She was employed at Handy and Harmon just after the War when she met Anthony Catania at a mixer at the 92nd Street Y. He was tall, handsome, and a beautiful dancer. They were married in Brooklyn on June 4, 1949. Tony and Rose Anne danced their way north to Mt Vernon and eventually to Scarsdale, where they raised their children Christopher, Bruce, Susan, and Roger. Family and friends recall her dry wit, her Christmas lasagnas, her home-made meatballs, and her grilled cheese sandwiches. Rose Anne eventually returned to work outside of the home, happily employed at Edgemont High School in the audio-visual department. She enjoyed the school, her colleagues, and especially the students. After retiring from work, Rose Anne and Tony moved to White Plains and then to Stamford, Rose Anne’s home for the past 22 years. She experienced the sadness of losing her oldest child in 1994 and her husband in 2006, but always enjoyed her many friendships, the joy of her eight grandchildren, the company of her cats, cooking, eating, and whipping through the NY Times Crossword.
Rose Anne was predeceased by her father Anthony Sparacia, her mother Agnes Sparacia, her husband Anthony Catania, her brother Frank Sparacia, and her son Christopher Catania. She is survived by her sister Frances Mosher and husband Maynard, children Bruce Catania and long time partner Connie Pantin, Daughter-in-law Cynthia Lodwig, Susan Stone and husband Harlan, and Roger Catania and wife Amy; her grandchildren Zachary Stone, Samuel Stone, Leanne Stone, Christina Catania, Nicholas Catania, Joseph Catania, Louis Catania, and James Catania; and by several nieces and nephews. Special thanks to Monika Szczypa and Bridget Apiah for their loving care over the past few years of Rose Anne’s life.
A funeral procession will be leaving the Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Myrtle Avenue, Stamford at 10:00 AM on Friday, May 3, 2019 for a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10:30 AM at St. Bridget’s of Ireland RC Church, 278 Strawberry Hill Avenue, Stamford. Interment will follow at Mount Calvary Cemetery, White Plains, NY. Family and friends may call at the funeral on Thursday, May 2, 2019 from 6:00-8:00 PM.
To leave online condolences, please visit www.cognetta.com
Born Rose Sparacia at home in Brooklyn, NY to Sicilian immigrant parents, Rose Anne studied hard, had perfect attendance, graduated from Bushwick High School at age 15, from Hunter College at 19, and briefly studied engineering at Cooper Union as the only woman admitted into her class. She was employed at Handy and Harmon just after the War when she met Anthony Catania at a mixer at the 92nd Street Y. He was tall, handsome, and a beautiful dancer. They were married in Brooklyn on June 4, 1949. Tony and Rose Anne danced their way north to Mt Vernon and eventually to Scarsdale, where they raised their children Christopher, Bruce, Susan, and Roger. Family and friends recall her dry wit, her Christmas lasagnas, her home-made meatballs, and her grilled cheese sandwiches. Rose Anne eventually returned to work outside of the home, happily employed at Edgemont High School in the audio-visual department. She enjoyed the school, her colleagues, and especially the students. After retiring from work, Rose Anne and Tony moved to White Plains and then to Stamford, Rose Anne’s home for the past 22 years. She experienced the sadness of losing her oldest child in 1994 and her husband in 2006, but always enjoyed her many friendships, the joy of her eight grandchildren, the company of her cats, cooking, eating, and whipping through the NY Times Crossword.
Rose Anne was predeceased by her father Anthony Sparacia, her mother Agnes Sparacia, her husband Anthony Catania, her brother Frank Sparacia, and her son Christopher Catania. She is survived by her sister Frances Mosher and husband Maynard, children Bruce Catania and long time partner Connie Pantin, Daughter-in-law Cynthia Lodwig, Susan Stone and husband Harlan, and Roger Catania and wife Amy; her grandchildren Zachary Stone, Samuel Stone, Leanne Stone, Christina Catania, Nicholas Catania, Joseph Catania, Louis Catania, and James Catania; and by several nieces and nephews. Special thanks to Monika Szczypa and Bridget Apiah for their loving care over the past few years of Rose Anne’s life.
A funeral procession will be leaving the Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Myrtle Avenue, Stamford at 10:00 AM on Friday, May 3, 2019 for a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10:30 AM at St. Bridget’s of Ireland RC Church, 278 Strawberry Hill Avenue, Stamford. Interment will follow at Mount Calvary Cemetery, White Plains, NY. Family and friends may call at the funeral on Thursday, May 2, 2019 from 6:00-8:00 PM.
To leave online condolences, please visit www.cognetta.com